The present invention relates to the controls of a xerographic reproduction machine, and in particular to the use of electrically sensitive membrane strips to determine document size, edit the document, and determine other process parameters.
In the control of modern complex, sophisticated reproduction machines, simplicity and ease of operator control are of prime importance. Various techniques have been used to simplify the control process. For example, with respect to variable magnifications, the manual setting of the magnification ratio by the operator depending upon the operator determination of the size of the document and the size of the copy sheet, often resulted in the wrong magnification ratio. To offset the possibility of this type of operator error, it is known as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,163 to use calipers moved by the operator into alignment with the edge of the document and connected to a transducer to produce a signal proportional to the position of the caliber. This information is fed to a computing and control unit to calculate the document size. It is also known as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,689,143 to use a plurality of sensing devices to detect the size of a document as it is inserted and moved into the machine. This information is converted by the control logic to select a particular optical magnification. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,327 discloses a set of indicators moved by the operator to frame the document and simultaneously set the optical system. These prior art devices, however, are often complex and costly.
Another difficulty with the prior art devices is that the control console is usually remote from the platen where document size registration markings are often provided. These tabs enable the operator to determine the size of a document, but do not necessarily assist in converting to the correct magnification ratio. Whenever document size indicators or markers are located at the platen, it is inconvenient for the operator to have to convert the determined size into a suitable magnification ratio. It is also inconvenient for the operator to then move to the operator control console to depress or engage the appropriate buttons or switches for the correct job parameter information. This inconvenience can often lead to operator error. It would be much more convenient and efficient for the operator when manually placing documents on the platen to have the appropriate controls located conveniently at the platen location. It would therefore, be desirable to provide an operative control panel that is accessible and convenient for the operator to provide document size and other information to the machine control. It would also be desirable to provide an operator control panel adjacent the platen for automatic input of document size and automatic determination of the correct magnification ratio.
Documents to be copied often contain material or subject matter that is of a classified nature of even irrelevant to the remaining material that needs to be copied. In such situations, it is necessary for the operator to block out, erase, or in some manner inhibit the copying of that particular information, or not copy the information at all. It is known in the prior art as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,929 to mask the projected light image of a document to recreate only a desired image on the photosensitive member. In addition, U.S. Pat. 4,012,12 discloses a liquid crystalline platen that becomes selectively opaque to mask portions of an original document exposed thereon. German Pat. DE No. 2928-740 discloses apparatus for reproducing selected areas of a text by using two scanning filters to determine color marked zones on an original. The information in the color marked zones is first stored and then read during a second scanning operation. A difficulty, however, with the prior art masking systems is that they are relatively complex, expensive and are not geared to ease of operator use and convenience. It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a relatively simple, accessible, low cost means for an operator to selectively edit or delete portions of a document to be copied.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved operator control. It is another object of the present invention to provide a plurality of electrically sensitive membrane strips disposed near the platen to provide a simple means to automatically enter document size, magnification ratio, and other process control information to the machine control as well as to be able to selectively edit, add, subtract, or otherwise modify the image area on a document at the platen or at a composing station. Further advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features characterizing the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims on next to and forming a part of this specification.
Briefly, the present invention is a control system for entering data into a copier controller relating to the parameters of an original to be copied, having a platen upon which the original is placed for exposure, comprising electrically sensitive membrane strips applied adjacent to the platen, said strips being formed with touch sensitive portions whereupon touching by an operator effects a signal indicative of the location of the touch, and means connecting the strips to the controller for transmitting the signals thereto, the signals being representative of document parameters such as document size. Also, included is a special switch to convert the touch sensitive document size portions of the membrance strips into document editing functions.